prosperous age

Chapter 485 Chapter 484
"Bang bang, bang bang"

The sound of firecrackers and artillery firing one after another, and clusters of arrows gliding through the sky from time to time.

At this moment, a group of Ming troops retreated from the front, and the leading general ran quickly to a general in full armor, clasped his fists and reported: "General Yu, there are too many fences in the Lian bandit city on the opposite side. Let us attack and burn two of them in one go. However, there are still fences inside, and there are traps in between, and my soldiers were also shot to death and injured a lot by Lian's thieves, and it is really impossible to fight."

The general leading the army was Yu Dayou, and it was reported at the beginning of the month that Zhang Lian's troops had expanded too rapidly in recent months, reaching almost 20 people.

In the absence of food and grass, Zhang Lian led his troops to attack Pinghe County, Fujian, hoping to take down the county's grain depot in one fell swoop to replenish military supplies.

At this time, the county magistrate of Pinghe County was dismissed due to the ineffective resistance of the last rebel attack. The new county magistrate has not yet arrived. The country soldiers went out of the city to fight.

They knew very well that the combat power of the soldiers in Pinghe County and the township was low, so they chose the strategy of deploying suspicious soldiers, bluffing, and marched out of the city beating drums all the way.

At this time, Lian's bandit army was no longer as vigorous as last year. After they failed to attack Jiangxi and Zhejiang, although they felt that they could not defeat Zhejiang and Jiangxi soldiers, they were able to face Fujian governor You Zhende, Fujian soldiers commanded by Wang Hao, and Guangdong and Guangxi. The Guangxi wolf soldiers under the command of the censor Zhang Gao were still able to fight and were defeated.

In particular, the wolf soldiers led by Zhang Gao were recruited and stationed in Fujian and Guangxi. This is also the main reason why Zhang Lian's power has expanded significantly recently.

Hu Qiheng and Tan Yun naturally knew the current situation. The chicken thieves did not fly the flag of Fujian soldiers and horses, but embroidered the name of Yu Dayou, the deputy commander of the Southern Jiangxi Province, on the military flag, so that the rebels mistakenly thought that the troops killed in Pinghe County were Yu Dayou commanded troops and horses.

What he saw from this news was, in fact, just as he himself said, that Lian's thieves had been beaten to death by the officers and soldiers.

While everyone was still laughing and talking about the victory in Fujian, hundreds of miles away from Phoenix City in Liaodong to the north, a Ming army had already been heavily surrounded by captive chieftains.

The crisp sound of horseshoes sounded, and a scout in the distance urged the horse to come.

Following Zhang Juzheng's words, other people's eyes shifted to Wei Guangde, after all, Wei Guangde was the only one in the room who had ever led soldiers.

"That's right, a soldier from the city and country can shock Zhang Lian's troops, how strong is this soldier?"

Yin Shixuan heard Li Fang's question, looked at Zhang Juzheng, and also noticed the expression on his face, so he asked.

Yin Shizhen asked in surprise.

"Divide the troops into four groups?"

Zhang Juzheng agreed with a smile.

Zhang Juzheng's answer was very straightforward, but the hesitation on his face disappeared after a while, and he said after thinking for a while: "I just feel that this matter is weird."

After receiving such an answer, Yu Dayou was also a little numb.

It's just that the army arrived at the lair and under the attack for several days, it made little progress.

At this time, Li Fang who was speaking found that Zhang Juzheng had a strange expression on his face, as if he had something to say.

Yin Shizhen asked at this time.

"As long as we win the battle, it's fine. If things go on like this, Zhang Lian's troops will soon lose their strength in the first battle, and it will be a matter of course for the government and army to dispatch to wipe them out."

"Earlier, Yang Shangshu made a plan to sneak attack on the rebels' lair. As a result, Yu Dayou went to Jiangxi. In the past two months, he defeated the rebels in southern Jiangxi. Before he had time to attack the rebels' lair, the rebels retreated and gathered together. , isn’t the Ministry of War’s strategy abolished?”

This is also because of Wei Guangde's previous so-called leading troops, the soldiers who had the most contacts were actually the important towns on the nine borders of the north. The only battle in the south of the Yangtze River with the Jiujiang Guard was also because it was in South Zhili and not far from Nanjing City. The soldiers of Jiujiang Guard did not let Wei Guangde see what it means to "thieves pass like a comb, and soldiers pass like a grate".

"Your Highness hasn't woken up yet. I'll go over later to have a look and tell His Highness the good news."

As for which route to choose, a fool also knows the truth of catching the thief and the king.

"Fujian Newspaper, in mid-March, Zhang Lian, a bandit from Guangdong Province, led an attack on Pinghe County, Fujian Province. Governor Hu Qiheng was in charge of county affairs and Dian Shi Tan Yun led the township troops out of the city to fight. When they were out of the city, they discussed how to suppress and adjust the party. They did not gather the bandits to investigate and found out that Pinghe was alone. Therefore, the sudden attack during Chengjian did not surprise his capable army. When he saw his drum beating very sharply, he thought there was a large army coming. He was terrified and collapsed. The admiral Zhang Gao, the censor of Guangdong and Guangxi, also reported that it was time to capture 32 people including Wang Ziyun and Chen Fubao, the leader of the bandits."

"No."

For these things, the local government will try to cover up the past until there is no major incident, even most of the history books will not record it, only a few words will be recorded in the local chronicles.

With the issuance of the imperial decree, it was a foregone conclusion. The officials of the Yan Party felt that they were in danger, and they began to look for ways to go ashore successfully before the storm. They didn't want to sink with the Yan family.

It's just that if Wei Guangde knew that they obtained this military exploit under the banner of Yu Dayou, would Wei Guangde still think so.

There was not much time left for him.

Zhang Juzheng asked in surprise.

The terrain in southern Fujian is complex, and it's all mountainous. Most of his men and horses are soldiers and horses drawn from the Jiangxi Guards, as well as reinforcements from Guangdong and Guangxi. In terms of how to control these people, naturally they can only choose to concentrate their troops and specialize in one line, and wipe out one of the enemy troops as much as possible at once.

For civil servants, it is understandable that they have some careful considerations when it is hard to win military merits, such as defeating Zhang Lian's thieves.

But now I don't know where Zhang Lian is, so it's not easy.

The Ming army has been besieged for nearly two days, and the medicine, arrows, food and grass have been exhausted, and the only thing left is to be wiped out.

As for what they were hiding, Wei Guangde didn't intend to go into details, and when he thought about it later, he would write a letter to Yu Dayou to ask, and he would naturally know the inside story.

"You mean that when the township soldiers attacked, the enemy thought that there were large soldiers who were terrified and collapsed?"

Li Si, the deputy general, reported to Hei Chun, the deputy general of Liaodong, with Zong Tian Geng half kneeling on the ground.

"Why?"

"What's so happy about it?"

When Yu Dayou heard the scout's report, he asked in surprise, "Do you know where Zhang Lian is?"

It took no one to know how much time it would take to pull down the fortresses one by one. Seeing the mountain peaks in the distance, Yu Dayou fell into deep thought.

Hearing the words, Zhang Juzheng also knew that he was thinking too much. Although what he thought was definitely right, it was really inappropriate to say these words when he was happy.

Right now, the attention of the people in the room is attracted by Zhang Juzheng's words, and they are also thinking about where the "weirdness" in Zhang Juzheng's mouth comes from.

Tang Ruji asked at this moment, breaking the moment of silence in the room.

Just when Wei Guangde, Yin Shizhen, and Zhang Juzheng were discussing what they had learned yesterday, Li Fang walked into the room with a smile.

It was completely different from the siege battle that Yu Dayou imagined. It would not be over if the army broke through the city wall and entered the city. Instead, it was discovered after breaking through several fortifications that there were still many fortifications on the hills ahead.

Now the Fujian thieves have been expelled from Southern Jiangxi by Yu Dayou, and defenses in Guangdong and Guangxi have also been strengthened. According to recent news, although the Lian thieves are still growing, they have lost their courage and can only toss in Fujian. It is a harbinger of doom.

"Uncle, don't you think this report is not true?"

Just when Zhang Lian led his troops to withdraw from Pinghe County to recruit troops, Yu Dayou, who had to report, signed the matter to the governor, and Liu Xian, the commander-in-chief, reported the military situation. Down.

Therefore, although he knew that Fujian was hiding something, Wei Guangde didn't take it seriously, it's human nature.

"General, Zhang Lian's bandit flag has not been displayed on several roads, so we can't tell."

In this way, attacking layer by layer like peeling bamboo shoots, without knowing that it will take years of monkeys and horses and months to completely level Zhang Lian's lair, is really a bad idea.

Wei Guangde explained with a smile.

"Eunuch Li, have you ever told His Highness the good news?"

Some time ago, when Xu Jie and Yan Song were fighting, everyone's attention was naturally attracted, and only Wei Guangde was still concerned about the military situation in various places in Ming Dynasty, including Wang Gao, a foreign barbarian in Liaodong, and others who led captives into Dongzhou Fort, Fushun Walnut Mountain and other places. , the internal strife between Tushe Handian, the deputy chief of Rongshan, Bozhou, Sichuan, and his chief Tushe Zhang Wen, who led the troops to attack each other, and so on.

Wei Guangde could only laugh.

As soon as Wei Guangde heard it, he knew where Zhang Juzheng's suspicion came from.

"Oh? Fujian won a big victory?"

As for the progress of the bandit suppression in Fujian, Wei Guangde also kept a lot of attention, not to mention that this was the time when the Japanese pirates came to the West. After Yan Song left the capital, it is estimated that the court's attention will soon be attracted by the Japanese in the south of the coast.

In recent days, the most sensational news in the capital is the news that Yan Song, who has been the chief assistant of the cabinet for 14 years, has become an official;

"Da da da"

Li Fang said cheerfully, "Hey, why does uncle have such an expression?"

Wei Guangde originally didn't want to go out to socialize, but after all, he is a member of Prince Yu's Mansion, so he can only refuse invitations to eat and drink these days.

Zhang Juzheng said: "Earlier Shan Loan said that Zhang Lian's department was gutted by officers and soldiers. There is a reason for this, but I always feel that it is very strange."

In fact, he noticed it from the very beginning, and guessed that there might be some concealment in this newspaper, and did not report the truth. However, Lu Wen, the censor of the Southern Jiangxi Capital, confirmed that Pinghe County won the battle.

Very simple and plain truth.

Wei Guangde asked curiously, reaching out to take the note in Li Fang's hand while speaking.

"Hehe, that's right."

Afterwards, according to the speed of the bandits reported by the scouts, Yu Dayou began to calculate the marching time of both sides and choose the most suitable ambush point.

"Brother Zhengfu, let's take a look."

After Yin Shizhen finished reading the news transcribed in the note, his face was still full of joy, and Tang Ruji on the side was also beaming at this time, as if he had won the battle.

A few days ago, Hei Chun led his troops to reinforce Yangzhanbao, and encountered the barbarians. After a fierce battle, the barbarians were repelled.

"General, we can only break out of Phoenix City with all our strength. There may still be a chance to rush out."

Calling the scouts over and asking the directions of the four bandits, Yu Dayou quickly sketched out the route of Zhang Lian's troops on the map.

"Everyone, this is the news I just received."

Therefore, Wei Guangde never imagined that a large number of guest soldiers gathered around Fujian because of the encirclement and suppression of Zhang Lian's department, and instead became a catalyst for the expansion of Zhang Lian's department.

The scout hurriedly replied.

After simply browsing through it, Wei Guangde also had a smile on his face, "That's right, looking at it like this, the Fujian thieves have been gutted by the officers and soldiers, and it's just around the corner to wipe out Zhang Lian and his gang of rebels."

Zhang Lian's troops fought against Yu Dayou's army in Southern Jiangxi several times before, and they were bound to lose. They had no courage to continue fighting with him, so they were shocked and collapsed without fighting, and were chased and killed by the soldiers led by Hu Qiheng and Tan Yun.

At this time, Wei Guangde suddenly laughed.

Not long after, the men and horses came close, and the scout got off his horse and ran to Yu Dayou, and reported on one knee: "Report to the general, the rebel Zhang Lian has learned that our troops are attacking the lair, and the rebel soldiers have left Pinghe County in four ways and are returning. here."

Decisively choose the defeated soldiers along the northernmost route. They are the farthest army from his troops. I hope Zhang Lian will choose this team for safety.

It's strange to say that Zhang Lian's troops have lost consecutively in the battles with the government and army recently, but the number of troops who joined them in the past is increasing, which makes Wei Guangde a little puzzled.

In response to Zhang Juzheng and Tang Ruji's inquisitive eyes at this time, Yin Shizhen simply read out the contents transcribed from the note.

"It's just that the military department is going to have a headache."

Fighting this route of bandit soldiers is a choice made entirely by gambling luck, and the next step is to issue orders, dispatch troops and generals to arrange ambushes.

Although he disdains these people very much, but Yan Song admitted these people at the beginning, and naturally he would not waste them in vain. Many people have been promoted and have been in some important positions in the Six Departments, so whether it is Xu Jie or Yu Wangfu, in his heart Still hoping to accommodate some of them.

"I can't say what the reason is, but I can understand the reason why Hu Qiheng and Tan Yun reported it like this. It's just that they don't want to share the credit. As for the inside story, it's not important. The important thing is that they really won the battle."

Li Fang also said that he completely agrees with Wei Guangde's words, whether they defeated the enemy openly or used intrigue to win, winning is the last word, King Yu will be happy when he sees it, and he will be happy when King Yu is happy.

"Uh-huh."

While speaking, Wei Guangde handed the note copied in his hand to Yin Shizhen.

Zhang Lian's lair was arranged according to the situation of the mountains, and large and small city villages were built on each hilltop, and then several layers of fences were used to connect the city villages.

In order to achieve greater success, Hei Chun led his troops to pursue him, but unexpectedly fell into an ambush by the barbarians and was surrounded in the daughter-in-law mountain near Phoenix City.

"Slaughter the wounded horses, and after a full meal, the whole army breaks out to Phoenix City."

At this time, Hei Chun no longer had the high spirits he had when he defeated the barbarians two days ago, and gave the order in a slightly decadent manner.

The captives returned to Liaodong, but they could not attack Phoenix City and turned to plunder Yangzhan Fort. The deputy commander Hei Chun led his troops to fight back. I want to fight the general Tiangeng and others for two days and nights to die.

(End of this chapter)